A quick glance at our NFL preseason TV schedule shows four days of football viewing ahead of us. It all starts with a Thursday night tilt in Massachusetts, and we’ll list our top Patriots vs. Giants predictions within this matchup.
Patriots vs. Giants Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | -2.5 (-110) | -155 | O 33.5 (-110) |
| @ Patriots | +2.5 (-110) | +125 | U 33.5 (-110) |
Odds via Fliff Sportsbook as of 5 p.m. ET on Aug 10.
Game Info
- Date: Thursday, August 11
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA)
- TV: NFL Network
Patriots vs. Giants Trends
Let’s take a look at some relevant betting trends for the Patriots and Giants as well as the NFL preseason in general:
- Bill Belichick is 9-2 straight up in his last 11 preseason games.
- Underdogs are 53.5% against the spread in the NFL preseason in the previous ten years.
- The Giants went 0-3 in the preseason last year.
- As of Wednesday afternoon, DraftKings reports 70%+ of bets and money on Patriots ATS.
The Giants Will Play Starters
New York will play its starters. The key word there is “play”. Does this mean for one series? Five snaps? A full quarter? Up until halftime?
Nobody knows, and there’s a chance this is another example of ‘coach speak’ without a real intention to follow through. Still, it appears that the Giants’ first teamers will see action in some way, shape, or form.
Brian Daboll says he expects all his healthy guys to play in preseason opener vs Patriots on Thursday. Thinks it’s “important to play football,” have guys get live reps. Notes it’s his first year and players are learning new system. #giants #patriots
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) August 7, 2022
The Giants are trying to implement a different offensive game plan under new head coach Brian Daboll, who served as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator over the last four seasons. While that could be a reason to give the starters more reps in Week 1 of the preseason, it could also mean that these players aren’t quite on the same page. That’s what preseason is for, right? There’s a good chance we will see something far from a finished product for the Giants on Thursday.
When looking for difference makers in the preseason, we usually like to see backup QBs who have a grasp on the system they’ll be running. That’s not the case here, even though backup QB Tyrod Taylor is a proven commodity, he probably won’t see a ton of reps as a veteran trying to escape the injury bug.
What Will The Patriots Do?
The Patriots are a little more predictable. If the starters play, it will only be a few snaps. Reports have surfaced that QB Mac Jones could sit this one out altogether. That would put the emphasis on veteran backup Brian Hoyer and rookie Bailey Zappe.
The Patriots will run the ball, and then run some more with a stable of talented running backs all the way down the depth chart.
Bill Belichick likes to have his teams prepared for the preseason, even the green backups. The legendary head coach is 9-2 straight up in his last three preseason campaigns.
Patriots vs. Giants Predictions
The Giants are supposedly using this game for evaluation purposes for the first string and beyond. Do we really know how many reps the starters will get? No, but it’s probably more than what the Patriots’ first teamers will see. There’s a decent chance Belichick rests his top players entirely.
However, this game will be won in the second half by a bunch of third and fourth-string players. I have to believe that Belichick has his team prepared with a better overall gameplan (and depth) than a first-year head coach who is trying to get his bearings. The Giants are favored in this matchup due to the talk of their starters playing, but give me the better coach who will have his team organized from the top down.
The Pick: Patriots moneyline | +125 at Fliff Sportsbook
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